Shells - Welcome to Times Square [Unreleased, 2004]

Former J Records recording rap star Shells seems to be lost in obscurity these days. But no worries as we at Obscure Sounds proceed to shine the light on this underrated up-north spitter.

Following his successful run as an underground battle rapper, the New York-bred MC caught the attention of talent scouts at J Records looking for fresh unsigned hype, and Shells was their winning pick. After hopping on his labelmates’ remixes (Lyric’s “Episode”, Mario’s “Just a Friend 2002”), Shells pieced together a profound cohesive body of work entitled “Welcome to Times Square”, geared for a late 2004 drop.

Despite hype garnered from the single “Why I Love You” being featured in the Samuel L. Jackson-, Ashanti-starring drama flick “Coach Carter” (2005) and its many other singles circulating on radio ahead of the effort’s planned release, “Welcome to Times Square” was frustratingly shelved. More than likely, the album’s unreleased state was an aftereffect from J Records dealing with conflicting merging business deals among RCA and Arista. Still, this did not at all stop the album from being leaked online to YouTube and white label vinyls.

Here is an imagined track-listing for the project:

1.) Ladies & Gentlemen

2.) Pull Over (feat. Mashonda)

3.) U a Gangsta

4.) Bronx Connection (feat. Remy Ma)

5.) Frontin’

6.) Imagine That

7.) Put Ya X Up

8.) I’m So BX (feat. Remy Ma, Drag-On & Liveson)

9.) I’m Laughin’

10.) When We Met (feat. Lumidee)

11.) Catchin’ Feelings (feat. Anthony Hamilton)

12.) We Can’t Lose (feat. Styles P)

13.) What We Do (Freestyle)

14.) Difference

15.) Over the Top (feat. Grafh)

16.) Internationally Known/Throwback Freestyle

17.) Why I Love You

18.) I Bet It’s Gonna Pop

19.) Get Your Roll On Lyrics

20.) They Wanna Spit Like...

21.) No Problem (feat. Remy Ma)

22.) Watch

23.) Shorty

24.) Neglected